Counter stackers have been widely used for bundling every predetermined number of printed sheets or copies such as newspapers, for example at every 25 sheets, the sheets being successively conveyed in a row with a constant pitch of overlapping one on the other.
The present invention is concerned with a system adapted to be used in connection with the process of bundling of sheets by such a counter stacker and, more particularly, to a system capable of producing bundles containing odd copies, i.e. copies of a number less than 25, upon receipt of an order as required.
In assortment and delivery of newspapers to dealers, the numbers of newspapers to be delivered to each dealer is not always a multiple of the number, e.g. 25 constituting one bundle. Namely, it is often necessary to deliver odd sheets, in addition to the sheets of bundles, in accordance with the expected sales accomplishment by each dealer.
However, unfortunately, a conventional counter stacker cannot perform the assortment or division of papers by too small numbers, for example less than 25 sheets, due to a high speed of delivery of the sheets from a rotary press, which well reaches 70,000 copies per hour. Therefore, for performing an automatical mechanical assortment for odd copies of a number less than that for a bundle, the rotary press had to be operated at a reduced speed which is quite incompatible with the promptness of the news reporting essential for the newspapers.
Conventionally, the odd copies have been prepared by manually breaking a bundle of papers which has been provided automatically to extract the required odd copies therefrom. In addition, since the odd copies make a thickness, when stacked one on the other, smaller than that of a bundle consisting of a predetermined number of copies, and, accordingly, lack stiffness to withstand external force expected during the transportation, they cannot be handled and transported in a condition of "quarto". Thus, troublesome works of folding the copies into "octavo", bundling the "octavo" copies and then attaching a label in which the name of the dealer is written onto the bundle of "octavo" odd copies.
It will be seen that the forwarding of the standard bundles of copies is inconveniently delayed, due to these troublesome and time consuming works.
Under these circumstances, the present invention is aiming at providing a total system capable of performing, as required, assortment and bundling of odd copies, in addition to and in connection with the ordinary standard assortment without requiring an undesirable reduction of speed of the rotary press, as well as folding of copies into "octavo" and addressing which have been performed manually.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system which is further improved to perform an automatic bundling and folding of odd copies having a stiffness optimum for the transportation, in accordance with the thickness of the bundle of odd copies.
A further object of the invention is provide an automatic and economical system having a odd copies bundling system related with a conventional assortment and bundling line for a standard number of copies, without substantially changing the line.